Linear contour measure.



No. 889,225. PATENTED JUNE 2, 1908.

G. w. HAAS. LINEAR CONTOUR MEASURE.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 25, 1907.

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GUSTAVE W. HAAS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOMARGARET B. FOWLER, OF PASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

LINEAR CONTOUR MEASURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2, 1908.

Application filed November 25, 1907. SerialgNo. 403,733.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUs'rAvE WV. HAAS, of Los Angeles, in the county ofLos Angeles, State of California, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Linear Oontour Measures; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and to the figures and letters of reference markedthereon.

This invention relates to devices for measuring the surface distancearound, or between, given points on an irregular body, the particularobject of the invention being to provide a device adapted for use by themedical profession in making records of deformities of the human body,in order to note the effect of remedial operations or with a view toarriving at a proper course of remedial treatment.

The accompanying drawing is a perspective view of a measuring deviceembodying the present invention with a portion broken away to show thespring stop for indicating when the pointer is at zero.

The simple embodiment of the invention illustrated comprises a wheel Aof proper diameter to follow the irregularities of the surface to bemeasured and as it is adapted to be used on the bare skin of the patientit is preferably made of a non-heat conducting material. The wheel is oflight weight, turns freely so as to measure accurately the surface ofsoft portions of the anatomy but at the same time it is sufficientlyretarded by frictional resistance to insure its motion beingarrested-the instant it leaves the surface being measured. The wheel isgraduated on the periphery and preferably also on each side of the rimas at A. As shown the graduations are in inches and fractions thereof.

A handle B having a fork with flat arms B between which the wheel is journaled serves as a convenient means for handling the device and whilethe edge of one or both forks may serve as the pointer with which thegraduations register, it is preferred to provide a separate arm O toserve as the pointer. This arm is mounted on but arranged at rightangles to the fork and handle and in order that the users may know whenthe pointer is at Zero a light spring stop E is mounted on the handlebetween the forks in position for its end to engage lightly with aprojection c on the wheel.

Obviously in making a measurement with the instrument, the length of thespinal column, for instance, any angular shifting of the handle andpointer will give rise to a variation in the indication, and in order toinsure an accurate reading I mount on the handle and preferably also onthe pointer arm a leveling device or devices. As shown, ordinary spiritlevels F are arranged at right angles to each other on the handle andpointer arm respectively. Either or both may be used to indicate aposition for the handle and pointer at the start and conclusion of thetraverse of the wheel. The levels enable the position of the handle andpointer with relation to the horizon to be determined and if thisrelation be preserved at the conclusion of the traverse the pointer willindicate accurately the surface traversed by the wheel.

For checking the too free rotation of the wheel, light friction springsG are interposed between the forks and hub of the wheel, but it isobvious that other well known frictional braking means may be employedas well as other well known leveling means, without departing from thepresent invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a linear contour measure, the combination with the graduated surfacetraversing wheel, the handle and the pointer for registering with thegraduations arranged at right angles to each other, of levels connectedwith said handle and pointer and arranged at right

